THE CASE AGAINST THE ULTIMATE LOAD TEST FOR REINFORCED CONCRETE PIPE

ASTM AND OTHER AGENCIES HAVE PUBLISHED SPECIFICATIONS FOR REINFORCED-CONCRETE PIPE OVER A PERIOD OF ABOUT 36 YEARS. THESE INCLUDE THREE-EDGE BEARING TEST STRENGTH REQUIREMENTS AT BOTH THE 0.01-IN. CRACK AND THE ULTIMATE LOAD. THIS PAPER POINTS OUT THE FACT THAT THERE IS NO LOGICAL BASIS FOR DEFINING AN ULTIMATE LOAD ON THIS KIND OF PIPE WHEN INSTALLED IN THE GROUND, BECAUSE OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF PASSIVE RESISTANCE PRESSURES BY THE SIDEFILL SOIL AS THE PIPE DEFORMS UNDER HEAVY LOADING. ALSO, SINCE NO LATERAL PRESSURES ARE APPLIED TO THE PIPE IN THE LABORATORY TEST, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO TRANSLATE THE ULTIMATE TEST STRENGTH INTO AN ULTIMATE STRENGTH IN THE GROUND, EVEN IF ONE COULD BE DEFINED. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT THE ULTIMATE TEST LOAD REQUIREMENT HAS OUTLIVED ITS USEFULNESS, AND SINCE IT IS NECESSARILY A TEST TO DESTRUCTION, AND THEREFORE VERY EXPENSIVE, IT SHOULD BE DISCONTINUED. THE 0.01-IN. CRACK LOAD TEST IS A SUFFICIENT INDICATOR OF STRUCTURAL QUALITY AND IT CAN READILY BE TRANSLATED INTO SUPPORTING STRENGTH OF THE PIPE UNDER A DEFINED FIELD LOADING SITUATION. COLLATERAL DISCUSSION AND AN EXAMPLE OF DESIGN OF A PIPE INSTALLATION BASED ON THE 0.01-IN. CRACK TEST STRENGTH PLUS RECOMMENDATIONS CONCERNING REPAIR OF LOAD DAMAGED PIPES AND SUGGESTIONS RELATIVE TO DESIGN FACTORS OF SAFETY ARE INCLUDED. /AUTHOR/

• Record URL:
  • http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/hrr/1967/176/176-002.pdf
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Paper sponsored by the Committee on Culverts and Culvert Pipe and presented at the 46th Annual Meeting. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved
• Authors:
  • Spangler, M G
• Publication Date: 1967

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References;
• Pagination: pp 35-42
• Monograph Title: Structural Design of Culverts and Pipe
• Serial:
  • Highway Research Record
  • Issue Number: 176
  • Publisher: Highway Research Board

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bearing capacity; Bearing tests; Breaking loads; Cracking; Load tests; Reinforced concrete pipe; Specifications; Testing
• Uncontrolled Terms: Crack propagation
• Old TRIS Terms: Destruction
• Subject Areas: Geotechnology; Highways; Materials;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00216077
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: HS-000 708
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Feb 20 1994 12:00AM